2024-03-14 20:16:13
To strengthen local governance and stimulate the local economy, the government is enacting the Haat and Bazaar (Establishment and Management) Regulations. The new haat-bazaar rules will play an important role in the government’s plan to establish welfare-oriented smart local governance.
Lands Secretary Khalilur Rahman said these things in the meeting regarding the finalization of Hats and Bazaars (Establishment and Management) Rules-2024 held at the conference room of the Ministry of Lands on Thursday (March 14).
On this occasion, representatives of the Ministries of Local Government, Commerce, Finance, Agriculture, Law, Liberation War and Women and Children Affairs and District Administration officials were present.
Khalilur Rahman also said that Hatbazar is the heart of the rural economy of Bangladesh. He said that it will be ensured that marginal farmers and traders with limited capital can also be involved in the bazaar-centric economy. He said that Land Minister Narayan Chandra Chand has given clear instructions in this regard.
It was informed in the meeting that in the draft of Hat and Bazaar (Establishment and Management) Rules 2024, it has been proposed to spend 4% of the leased money received from the market for the welfare of freedom fighters. The remaining 5% will be directly added to central revenue as salami. The remaining 91 percent of the leased money of haat and bazaar has been proposed to be spent on various sectors in the areas related to haat and bazaar; This includes salaries of local government officials, development of bazaar and local government revenue etc. Apart from this, the draft rules also provide for the construction of multi-storied market stalls on government land in the periphery of the market and market.
Note that as per the Markets and Markets (Establishment and Management) Act-2023, the term ‘markets and markets’ or ‘markets’ refers to any place where common people sell agricultural products, fruits, animals, poultry, eggs, fish, meat, Buy and sell milk, milk products, food and beverages, industrial products and daily necessities on daily basis or on a particular day of the week. It also includes shops established for buying and selling these products at that place. The rules of this Act are now being framed.
According to the said law, the ownership of huts and markets is vested in the Ministry of Lands. The Collector as well as the District Administrator acts as the local authority. Generally, upazila parishads, municipalities and city corporations under the jurisdiction of local government ministries manage huts and markets. If any haat or market is established on any land in violation of the provisions of this Act, the government can confiscate the land along with all the interests or facilities located there.
According to the calculation of the fiscal year 2022-23, the total number of haat-bazaar in the whole country is 10 thousand 265. Out of this 7 thousand 955 leased haats and bazaars collect more than 990 crore rupees in revenue.